Stones used for construction purposes need to possess certain characteristics. Some of these characteristics or properties of good building stones include hardness, toughness, porosity and absorption. Check this post for a complete list of the characteristics of a good building stone.

The following are some important tests carried out on stones used for construction:

1. Water Absorption Test

2. Crushing Strength Test

3. Abrasion Test

4. Impact Test

5. Acid Test

Water Absorption Test: This test is carried out on cube specimens which are prepared for the test purpose. The specimens usually have a weight of about 50 grams. Weights of dry specimens as well as wet are noted and appropriate formula are used for finding water absorption rates and properties such as percentage absorption by weight, percentage absorption by volume, percentage porosity by volume, density, specific gravity and saturation coefficient are found.

Read: How to Carry Out Water Absorption Test on Rocks.

Crushing Strength Test: Specimens of size 40 x 40 x 40 are hewn from parent rocks to execute this test. Specimens are prepared and loaded by a compression testing machine and the crushing strength is noted.

Read: How to Carry Out Crushing Strength Test on Stones/Rocks.

Abrasion Test: It is carried out on stones used for road works which are subjected to constant grinding actions of traffic. Abrasion test confirms the suitability of stones for this purpose. Tests such as Los Angeles Abrasion Test, Deval Abrasion Test & Dorry’s Abrasion Test may be carried out on stones and aggregates to determine their resistance to abrasive forces.

Read: How to Carry Out Abrasion Test on Stones/Rocks.

Impact Test: Impact testing is a method of test on stones to find the resistance of stones/rocks or aggregates to impact forces. This test is conducted with an impact testing machine which consists of frame with guides on which a metal hammer freely falls with impact forces on the specimen(s). The hammer which weighs between 13.5-15kg usually falls freely from a height of about 380mm (0.38m).

Read: How to Carry Out Impact Test on Stones/Rocks.